22 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
“he conceived the measure of withdrawing the militia from Long Point 
was highly improper.’’? 
On the other hand Joseph Willcocks, the acknowledged leader of 
the opposition in the Legislative Assembly tendered his services in the 
defence of the province and Brock at once requested him to exert his 
influence with the Six Nations on the Grand River to secure their co- 
operation against the invaders. Willcocks seems to have made a sin- 
cere effort to comply, but was soon prostrated by an attack of fever 
which rendered him unable to do anything for several weeks.? 
In his speech to the Legislature delivered on July 28, Brock again 
strongly advocated the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, saying:— 
“ A few traitors have already joined the enemy, have been suffered 
to come into the country with impunity and have been harbored and 
concealed in the interior, yet the general spirit of loyalty which appears 
to pervade the inhabitants of this Province is such as to authorize a 
just expectation that their efforts to mislead and deceive will be un- 
availing. The disaffected, I am convinced, are few. To protect and 
defend the loyal inhabitants from their machinations is an object worthy 
of your most zealous deliberations.” 
Next day after learning that the Norfolk militia as a body had re- 
fused to march to Oxford he became deeply depressed and wrote :— 
“The population, although I had no great confidence in the ma- 
jority, is worse that I expected to find it and the magistrates, &c. &c., 
appear quite confounded and decline acting—the consequence is the 
most improper conduct is tolerated. The officers of militia exert no 
authority. Everything shows as if a certainty existed of a change 
taking place soon. But I still hope the arrival of reinforcements may 
yet avert such a dire calamity. Many in that case would become active 
in our cause who are now dormant. 
“T have the honour herewith to transmit a copy of my speech to 
the two houses delivered yesterday. A more decent house has not been 
elected since the formation of the Province but I perceived at once that 
I shall get no good of them. They, like the magistrates and others in 
office, evidently mean to remain passive. The repeal of the Habeas 
Corpus will not pass and if I have recourse to the law martial, I am 
informed the whole armed force will disperse. Never was an officer 
placed in a more awkward predicament. The militia cannot possibly 
be governed by the present law—all admit that fact, yet the fear of 
giving offence will prevent anything effectual from being effected.’’® 

! Talbot to Brock, July 27, 1812. Can. Arch. Militia Papers, U.C. 1812; Smith 
Geographical View, passim. 
? Willcocks to Macdonell, September, 1812. Can. Arch. Militia papers, 1812. 
* Brock to Prevost, July 28, 1812. Can. Arch. C 676, p. 217. 
